Farm to Table...

When Bill Niman started Niman Ranch near San Francisco, CA, he had a few head of cattle and a determination to raise them self-sufficiently. The basic idea, is that the better a cow, or any animal, is treated, the better the meat. Over the years, Niman’s meat has been on Alice Water’s restaurant menu, his pork has been in Chipotle’s carnitas, and his bacon and sausage are in grocery stores around the country.

But, as the New York Times reported, Niman recently left the company in August 2007 and is now re-entering the meat business with a herd of goats and a vegetarian wife (nicknamed Porkchop). Already, his BN Ranch goat meat is in restaurants on both coasts, and it’s predicted (by some) to have a bright future as a meat.

Want to try the up-and-coming meat? Here’s why you should and how:

Look for meat from a local farmer or at least a U.S. farmer. Apparently, local goat meat, as opposed to imported meat, is more delicate and succulent.

Ask about the breed that you’re about to eat: Boer goats are muscular, Spanish goats have lighter meat.

Ask for grassfed. Pasture raised goats, like Niman’s goats that are pasture raised until just before slaughter when they’re fed grain, have marbled meat with a traditional corn-fed flavor.

Learn more about goat meat at The American Meat Goat Association.

Photo from: Groovy Green blog.